We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the PokerWorks website. However, if you would like to, you can change your cookie settings at any time.

Ernest Bennet Chops it Up with Tony Korfman for $1k Seniors Title

In the cussin-est event of the WSOP, Ernest Bennet and Tony Korfman made a deal heads-up, giving the bracelet to Bennet in a raucous tournament filled with suckouts.
1,882 men and women fifty or older overwhelmed the Rio, causing dealers to be pulled in to handle the horde. Day 1 was highlighted by Amarillo Slim Preston sitting where he has been many times before, with the chip lead at the World Series of Poker.

Slim (left) was the ambassador of poker before Doyle Brunson took over the reins in the ‘90's, and his appearance on The Tonight Show after his 1972 Main Event title helped spread the popularity of poker. His Amarillo Slim's Super Bowl of Poker in the 1980's and early 1990's was the second largest poker tournament each year after the World Series of Poker. With all the prop betting at the WSOP currently, Slim was the king of prop bets. His prop bets are legendary, from beating Bobby Riggs in ping-pong using a skillet, wagering that a cat could pick up a Coke bottle, to beating Evel Knievel in golf using a carpenter's hammer. He cashed for the first time since 2002, good for 96th ($2,655).

The event was marked by language that would make the young internet crowd's ears bleed. Every beat brought f-bombs, chairs kicked, and several guttural screams. Down to thirty players, David Icke raised to 12k with only to see Jack Deutsch move all-in for 71.5k. Icke called, and Deutsch showed . flopped, with Deutsch ahead with his set of queens. came on the turn, giving Icke the Broadway straight. Deutsch's nickname is "The Staten Island Snake," and somehow he cajoled MeanGene into listing it regularly in the chipcounts of PokerNews. His posse of geriatrics started yelping for the board to pair, and obliged. "Welcome to the f*#!ing snake pit!" screamed Deutsch. If the f-bomb rule had not been modified to only be enforced if directed toward a player or dealer, Deutsch might have been penalized until the Main Event's conclusion.

Tom McEvoy also busted on a horrific hand. Tony Korfman raised to 13k, and
Hassan Kameoi moved all-in for 90k. McEvoy called with his 33k and his to Kameoi's . kept McEvoy well ahead, but miraculously hit the turn, the one-outer. bricked, and the classy McEvoy stood up and left the room.

A-K chased down by A-Q, kings knocked out by kings, A-7 all-in vs kings, K-Q out to K-10, pocket aces coming over the top of a raise by Q-10 then getting called and chased down, K-K shoving into a A-Q-Q flop then spiking a king on the turn when his donkey move is called. Day 2 ended when Hassan Kameoi moved all-in with , was called by chipleader Ernest Bennett with . was the flop, a fitting conclusion to one of the most topsy-turvy days in recent memory. Lol donkaments, indeed.

After Deutsch quickly doubled through Bennet, Charles Anderson was knocked out in 9th ($20,209) with pocket queens when Tony Korfman spiked a king on the river with . Ray Abels moved in with A-Q like Deutsch, and Bennet called with pocket sevens. Abels didn't connect, and he was out in 8th ($26,546). Bennet was being the table bully and raised with to 120k. Catanzaro moved all-in for 270k with aces, and Bennet's call doubled up Catanzaro.

Rod Clarida moved all-in with 145k holding only to find Tony Korfman call in the small blind with . gave him the wheel straight, keeping him alive and well. Two plastic snakes left when Jack Deutsch moved all-in with and was called by Ed Smith with . Miraculously, Smith's hand held up, and Deutsch was out in 7th ($35,965).

Bennet knocked out another short stack, Leon Lewis' no match for Bennet's . Lewis was out in 6th ($47,953), and with blinds up to 30k/60k with a 5k ante, the game became a bit of a shovefest. Tony Korfman busted Catanzaro (5th $65,080), then he came over the top of Ed Smith's 300k raise for 825k total all-in. Smith called with , no match for Korfman's aces. Smith quickly doubled up through Korfman on the next hand but then shoved with into Bennet's . Bennet caught an ace on the turn and a flush on the river, and Ed Smith was gone in 4th ($95,907).

Bennet knocked out Rod Clarida (3rd $142,147), his dominating Clarida's . Korfman and Bennet then walked away from the table and struck a deal for the remaining cash and the bracelet. On the next hand, Korfman pulled a Hoy, moving all-in except his last chip. Bennet then moved all-in on top of him, and Korfman folded. The dealer threw one more hand out, Bennet won it, and that was that.

A bizarre ending to a strange event, but one of the events that makes the World Series of Poker special. Officially, Tony Korfman finished in 2nd ($217,503) to Ernest Bennet's title ($348,423). Both men walked away happy.